Annual Essay Contest

This topic for our 2018 essay contest is: "Can Society Function Without Respect?". The contest will be of interest to students in Grades 9 through 12 attending school in Oakville.

The contest is open to students under age 18 (as of October 1, 2017) who have not yet graduated from high school. Entries should be between 700 and 800 words in the format specified in the contest rules.

The contest is designed to give young people an opportunity to express their own opinions regarding the world in which they live. In addition to developing skills for critical thinking and written expression, participants also have the opportunity to win a scholarship. The contest is open to students who have not yet graduated from high school. Entries should be between 700 and 800 words in the format specified in the contest rules. Each year the topic for the essay contest is announced here in late August/early September. The deadline for essay entries is ​January 31, 2018. Please see the contest rules and application form links below for more information.

The Optimist Club of Oakville contest will award cash prizes of:

$500.00 for the first place winner

$350.00 for the second place winner

$150.00 for the third place winner.

Pictured at right are our first and second prize winners receiving their awards and cheques from our Essay Chair, Debbie Corcoran. Our first place winner also won second place at the Central Ontario Optimist Essay Contest.

In addition, the first place winning essay will be entered by the Club in the annual Central Ontario Optimist District contest where a $2,500.00 scholarship will be awarded to the District winner.